So last fall, when Brewster’s son’s girlfriend told her about an old tin diner she saw for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Marcy (Oneida County), the couple figured it was now or never.

A restaurant in Chatham County was named the best retro diner in the state. Al’s Diner in Pittsboro was included in a list published in June by LoveFOOD. The digital publication, which is based ...